#34 Astral Weeks by Van Morrison

The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time

2025 Album Rank

34

2011 Album Rank

25

Total Points

1505.5

Year Released

1968

Billboard 200 Chart Peak

N/A

Weeks at #1

N/A

RIAA Sales Certification

500,000 (Gold)

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Astral Weeks Album Details

Released in November 1968, Astral Weeks is a transcendent, genre-defying masterpiece that blends folk, jazz, classical, and soul into a deeply spiritual and poetic experience. Unlike anything Van Morrison had done before, or would do again, the album eschews pop structure in favor of flowing, improvisational arrangements and introspective lyrics. It's not so much an album of songs as it is a stream of consciousness set to music, evoking themes of memory, loss, rebirth, and mysticism.

Backed by jazz musicians unfamiliar with Morrison's style, the album was recorded live in the studio with minimal rehearsal, capturing an organic, almost otherworldly atmosphere. Tracks like "Madame George", "Cyprus Avenue", and the title track stretch out in long, hypnotic swells, driven by Morrison's soulful voice and acoustic guitar. Though it was not a commercial success at the time, Astral Weeks has since become one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time. It is regarded as a deeply personal, visionary work that stands outside the boundaries of genre.

Other albums by Van Morrison on the chart: Moondance.

Interesting Facts about Astral Weeks

• The album was recorded over three sessions in 1968 in New York City, featuring jazz session players who improvised their parts with little guidance from Morrison.
• Morrison was only 23 years old when he made the album, yet its themes and delivery reflect a depth and wisdom far beyond his years.
• Producer Lewis Merenstein chose musicians like Richard Davis (bass) and Connie Kay (drums), who had jazz backgrounds, giving the album its free-flowing, impressionistic sound.
• The album's lyrics are often abstract and impressionistic, evoking childhood memories, Irish landscapes, and spiritual yearning.
• Astral Weeks was a commercial failure upon release, but became a critical favorite over time, especially among musicians and songwriters.
• Morrison never performed many of these songs live until he revisited the album in full in 2008, for its 40th anniversary.
• There is no traditional chorus or radio-friendly hook on the entire album. Its power lies in mood, repetition, and emotional immersion.
• "Madame George" and "Cyprus Avenue" are often interpreted as emotional journeys through Morrison's youth in Belfast, though he has always kept their meaning ambiguous.
• Astral Weeks has inspired artists from Bruce Springsteen and Elvis Costello to Joanna Newsom and Bon Iver.
• The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1999 for its cultural and historical significance.

Astral Weeks Tracklist

1. Astral Weeks
2. Beside You
3. Sweet thing
4. Cyprus Avenue
5. The Way Young Lovers Do
6. Madame George
7. Ballerina
8. Slim Slow Slider

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